Calderwood - Freemasonry and the press in the twentieth century: a national newspaper study of England and Wales

FREEMASONRY AND THE PRESS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

The magic word before whose power
Even the peoples masters cower
Flapping their wigs officiously
Prick up your ears; the word - it is publicity.

Source: a satirical poem that circulated in Germany shortly before the French Revolution of 1789.

H. Huber, Recht, Staat und Gesellschaft (Bern, 1954), p. 40.

A National Newspaper Study of England and Wales

PAUL CALDERWOOD

ASHGATE

Paul Calderwood 2013

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.

Paul Calderwood has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Calderwood, Paul.
Freemasonry and the press in the twentieth century : a national newspaper study of England and Wales.

1. FreemasonryPress coverageEnglandHistory20th century. 2. FreemasonryPress coverageWalesHistory20th century. 3. FreemasonryGreat BritainPublic opinionHistory20th century. 4. Public opinionGreat BritainHistory20th century.

I. Title
366.109410904-dc23

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Calderwood, Paul.
Freemasonry and the press in the twentieth century : a national newspaper study of England and Wales / by Paul Calderwood.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4094-5433-5 (hbk) ISBN 978-1-4094-5434-2 (ebook) ISBN 978-1-4724-0360-5 (epub) 1. Freemasonry--Great Britain--History--20th century. 2. FreemasonryGreat BritainPublic opinionHistory20th century. 3. FreemasonryPress coverageEnglandHistory20th century. 4. FreemasonryPress coverageWalesHistory20th century. I. Title.

HS595.A5C35 2013
366.109420904dc23

2012039067

ISBN 9781409454335 (hbk)
ISBN 9781409454342 (ebk-PDF)
ISBN 9781472403605 (ebk-ePUB)

The following chapters set out to examine media coverage of freemasonry in England and Wales during the twentieth century. They consider how and why the public image of freemasonry changed from that of a highly respected lite organisation at the centre of public life in 1900, to a position on the fringes in the 1990s, regarded with suspicion and disapproval by many. They focus on national newspapers only.

This book describes how the press projected a positive message of the organisation for almost 40 years, based on a mass of news, which I believe emanated from the organisation itself (making it an unexpected pioneer in modern public relations practice). It concludes that the change of image and public regard which occurred during the twentieth century was due, mainly, to masonic withdrawal from the public sphere. It considers and finds wanting the suggestion that this withdrawal was a response to Fascist persecution and it offers a number of additional explanations. Freemasonrys reluctance to engage with the media after 1936 powerfully assisted its critics, who grew in strength as a result of developments within the media and the churches.

In the second half of the century, greater media competition spawned a more challenging form of journalism and accelerated the decline of deference. Concurrently, the rise of secularism and religious pluralism in Britain provided Christianity with increased competition and led some adherents to redefine freemasonry and to treat it as a rival. Throughout the period, conspiracy culture remained strong, rendering the secrecy of freemasonry a major handicap to public understanding.

The history of freemasonry in twentieth-century Britain is largely an unexplored field and, in examining the fraternitys media profile, this study also illuminates the organisations collisions with nationalism, Communism and state welfare provision.

I would like to express my thanks to the staff of the following archives and libraries:

News International

The Authors Club

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)

The London Metropolitan Archive

The National Archives

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution

The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys

The Wesley Centre, Oxford (Oxford Brookes University)

Wesleys Chapel, London

And:

Cardiff University Library

Dr Williamss and The Congregationalist Libraries

Goldsmiths, University of London, Library

Heythrop College Library

Lambeth Palace Library

Library and Museum of the Masonic Province of Berkshire

Senate House, University of London, Library

Surbiton Masonic Hall Library

Swansea University Library

The Institute of Historical Research

The Library and Museum of the United Grand Lodge of England

The London School of Economics Library

The National Newspaper Library

The Oriental and India Office Collection of The British Library

The School of Oriental and African Studies Library

The Warburg Institute Library

The Wiener Library

I would also like to thank countless fellow journalists, public relations professionals and freemasons who have inspired and sustained my interest in this subject over a long period. It is a subject that I started to investigate several decades ago but I only found the time to research it, in a professional and full-time manner, after the conclusion of my working life. I am most grateful to Goldsmiths, University of London, for having given me the opportunity to undertake this study and a special debt of gratitude is owed to my academic supervisors, Dr Ariel Hessayon and Professor Sally Alexander, who provided me with so much good advice and guidance and supported my research of this subject. Finally I would like to thank my family and friends but most especially Jean, my wife, who has provided me with never-failing support, suggestions and encouragement.